Artistic Musings

Been working on some sketches and designs of late for the Norse Gods (though primarily it seems to be the Ladies stealing paper and pencil time). As I struggle through my skills and working on trying to capture something of the essence of these Deities, and yet keep ane nigmatic charm, so that the work is like a bookcover, it's pretty, but to truly know them you have to open the book and work with them.

I've realized something as I've been working on these sketches (which I hope to eventually refine), is that I tend to avoid showcasing them in such a way so you have a clear image of their face, and especially of their eyes. I tend to prefer profile shots, eyes closed, and 3/4 views, if not a view entirely from behind. It's a quirk of mine. Seeing a fully realized and identifiable 'face' to me actually makes it more difficult for me to connect. There's several versions of Loki floating around out there, and I've not cared for a single one of them. They don't capture Him to me at all. It's probably why the image I most identify with, isn't even SUPPOSED to be Him.

Heck, even the very first Norse-centric rite I ever went to (which was for Odin), I was shanghai'd by Loki and taken before Him at the base of the Tree. And all I could see of him (literally couldn't move my vision-gaze) was from his chin to his chest. It reminds me of the whole burning bush thing in the Judeo-Christian tradition. That to see God directly would kill you, and even indirectly it could age you.

For the curious among you, here are some of the subjects I've been working on:

Frigga

Frigga with Baldr

Freyja

Loki & Sigynn

Njord

Sif

The Norns

Freyr

Eir

Hel

Huginn & Muninn

Please note this is slow going, and I'm a slow artist. It takes a very long time before my perfectionist tendencies are satisfied enough to share. So don't expect anything for a while. Though one of the images should be featured in one of my oath-sister tamyris' forthcoming books.